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Mon, 18 November 2024

Kangana's 'Emergency' to release on...

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12:04 Kangana's 'Emergency' to release on...

Actor-BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Monday announced that her much awaited film "Emergency" will be released in theatres on January 17.

The update comes a month after the actor-filmmaker said the team had finally received the censor certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after the film missed out on its September 6 release. Ranaut, who plays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the political drama, shared the film's release date on her official X page.

The caption of her post read: "17th January 2025 The epic saga of the nation's most powerful woman and the moment that altered India's destiny. #Emergency Unveils Only in cinemas on 17.01.2025!" "Emergency", also written, directed, and co-produced by Ranaut, was earlier scheduled to be released in September after multiple delays but it couldn't be screened as its certificate was stuck with the CBFC.

The film was mired in controversy after Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, accused it of misrepresenting the community and getting facts wrong. At the time, Ranaut had accused the CBFC of stalling certification, which she said was "hugely demotivating".

"Emergency" delves into the emergency that was imposed by the former prime minister Indira Gandhi for 21 months from 1975 to 1977 and its aftermath. Produced by Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films, the movie also features Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhry, Milind Soman, and the late Satish Kaushik. PTI

Representational image

12:00 FIR against 15 medical students for ragging death

Police have registered an FIR against 15 students of a medical college in Gujarat's Patan district following the death of an 18-year-old student who was allegedly ragged by them, officials said on Monday.

The accused, all second-year MBBS students, allegedly made some juniors, including the victim, stand in a hostel room for more than three hours on Saturday night and subjected them to "mental and physical torture," as per the First Information Report (FIR).

They have been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences, the FIR said. The accused students have been suspended from their hostel and academic activities until further orders, said officials from the GMERS Medical College and Hospital at Dharpur in Patan.

The victim, Anil Methaniya, a first-year MBBS student, fell unconscious and died allegedly after being made to stand for three hours during ragging by his seniors at a hostel of the college on Saturday night, the college dean, Dr Hardik Shah, said on Sunday.

The college's anti-ragging committee chaired by Dr Shah took the statements of 26 students -- 11 of the first-year and 15 second-year students.

The committee found that 11 first-year students were subjected to ragging by a group of 15 second-year students, a college official said on Monday. As per the FIR lodged at Balisana police station shortly after midnight on Monday, the 15 accused called 11 first-year students, including Methaniya and his classmates, to a hostel room on Saturday night for "introduction".

They made the juniors stand for nearly three-and-a half hours while forcing them to sing and dance, utter abusive words and not leave the room.

Methaniya's health deteriorated as the students were subjected to mental and physical torture. The victim fainted and fell down at around midnight.

He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the FIR stated. Based on a complaint by the college's additional dean Dr Anil Bhathija, the FIR was lodged against 15 students under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly, and using obscene words. PTI

11:48 NIA takes over three Manipur violence cases

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has assumed responsibility for investigating three key cases linked to recent violence in Manipur, resulting in loss of lives and widespread disruption of public order.

The agency took over these cases from Manipur Police following a recent directive issued by Ministry of Home Affairs as the violent activities linked to the three cases had caused incidents escalating over recent months in the hilly state leading to fatalities and significant social unrest.

These cases include a gun battle between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Kuki militant that took place in Jiribam area of Manipur. At least 10 Kuki militants were killed in the exchange of fire.

A separate case involved the kidnapping of six people has been handed over to the NIA. Shortly after the abduction of six people in Jiribam, their bodies were discovered. The NIA has registered a separate case regarding this incident.

In response to the growing instability, the MHA had issued the directive, transferring these three cases from Manipur Police to the NIA which will now lead the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and its broader impact on peace and security in Manipur.

Death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana

11:17 Place Beant killer's mercy plea before Prez: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday directed President Droupadi Murmu's secretary to place before her the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, for consideration.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan requested the President to consider the plea within two weeks. "Inspite of the matter being specifically kept today none appeared for Union of India. The bench assembled only for this case," the bench said.

"On the last date the matter was adjourned to enable the Union to take instructions from the office of the President as to by when will mercy plea be decided. Taking into consideration that the petitioner is on a death row, we direct the secretary to the President of India to place the matter before the President with a request to consider the same within two weeks from today," the bench said.

The matter will now be heard on December 5. On September 25, the top court had sought responses from the Centre, the Punjab government and the administration of the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Rajoana's plea.

The then Punjab chief minister and 16 others were killed in a blast at the entrance of the civil secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

A special court sentenced Rajoana to death in July 2007. Rajoana has said that a mercy petition under Article 72 of the Constitution was moved by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on his behalf in March 2012. On May 3 last year, the apex court had refused to commute his death sentence and said the competent authority could deal with his mercy plea. -- PTI

That's the Rashtrapati Bhavan hidden behind the smog

10:52 Home schooling for Delhi amid dangerous 484 AQI

As pollution levels in Delhi continued to rise over the past few weeks, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage 4 in Delhi NCR from Monday, which saw a dip in the Air Quality Index (AQI) dipping into 'severe plus' category.

This decision was taken after Delhi's daily average AQI rose sharply to 441 by 4 pm on Sunday and further escalated to 457 by 7 pm which prompted an emergency meeting of the GRAP Sub-Committee. The AQI was 484 this morning, equivalent to smoking

Measures under Stage IV of GRAP include stopping the entry of truck traffic into Delhi, except for trucks carrying essential commodities and providing essential services, and banning construction and demolition activities.

Meanwhile, in view of the pollution, the Delhi government has ordered online classes for all students except those in class 10 and class 12. Heads of schools have also been directed to ensure classes in online mode for the students of these classes till further orders. Physical classes for students of class 10 and class 12 will continue as usual.

One individual, Raju Lal, said, "My two children study here, one in class 9 and the other in class 10. I dropped the one studying in class 10 here at school... The child studying in class 9 has online classes... Pollution affects children more..."

A thick layer of smog loomed over Gurugram city as air quality continues to deteriorate. -- ANI

Police have arrested the owner and the manager of a resort in Mangaluru, in connection with the drowning of three students from Mysuru at a private beach resort, a senior police official said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Manohar, the owner of the Vazco Resort located in Ullal limits near Mangaluru, and Bharath, the resort's manager. "In the drowning incident of 3 students from Mysore at Vazco resort of Ullala limits two people 1) Manohar(owner) and Bharath(manager) have been arrested. Further investigation is taken up," Mangalore police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said.

Three students from Mysuru - Keerthana (21), Nishita (21) and Parvathy (20) - were found dead in the swimming pool of the Vazco resort a day after they arrived on November 16.

"Three young women from Mysore lost their lives in the swimming pool at a private beach resort in Ullal, on the outskirts of Mangaluru. The victims, identified as Keerthana (21), Nishitha (21), and Parvathi (20), had checked into the resort on November 16 and were found dead in the swimming pool the following morning," Mangaluru Police Commissioner, Anupam Agrawal said. -- ANI

10:30 Manipur violence: Shah, Doval to hold key meet

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Monday hold a key meeting to review the security situation in Manipur and is expected to chalk out a strategy to handle the "volatile" situation in the northeastern state, sources said. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, among other top officials, are expected to attend the meeting, they said. Shah also took stock of the security situation in Manipur on Sunday after cancelling his election rallies in Maharashtra.

The situation in Manipur, which has been reeling from ethnic strife since May last year, has been volatile following protests and violence after the recovery of bodies of women and children. Shah will hold a key meeting and review the situation in Manipur on Monday. He is likely to give directions for handling the current "volatile" situation in the state, the sources said.

Irate mobs set fire to the residences of three more BJP legislators, one of whom is a senior minister, and a Congress MLA in various districts of Imphal Valley on Saturday night even as security forces foiled an attempt by agitators to storm the ancestral residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

These incidents took place even as an indefinite curfew was clamped after people, agitated by the killing of three women and three children by militants in Jiribam district, attacked the residences of three state ministers and six MLAs earlier on Saturday.

Enraged people torched the houses of PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam at Ningthoukhong, Hiyanglam's BJP MLA Y Radheshyam at Langmeidong Bazar, Wangjing Tentha's BJP MLA Paonam Brojen in Thoubal district and Khundrakpam's Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar in Imphal East district. The legislators and their family members were not at home when the mobs stormed their residential compounds, vandalised properties and set the houses on fire, police said, adding the houses were partially burnt in the incidents.

On November 11, Manipur Police said 10 suspected militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces after insurgents in camouflage uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at Borobekra police station and an adjacent CRPF camp at Jakuradhor in Jiribam.

Hours later, suspected militants allegedly abducted six civilians, including women and children from the same district, police said. On Saturday, the Union home ministry said all security forces deployed in Manipur have been directed to take necessary steps to restore order and peace in the state. It said armed miscreants from both communities in conflict have been indulging in violence leading to unfortunate loss of lives and disruption in public order.

The home ministry said strict action would be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities. Seeing the fragile situation, the Centre on Thursday reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam.

09:41 Mumbai catches up: Worli records AQI of 225!

Mumbai woke up to a thick layer of smog on Monday morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 147 in the 'moderate' category As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the current AQI reported in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) is 153, while the AQI Abhinav Nagar Borivali East is 176.

The AQI recorded in BMC's Shastri Garden Worli is 225 which falls under the "poor" category, SAFAR reported.

Chembur near Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) reported the AQI to be 158 and Sewri recorded AQI at 195. According to SAFAR, the air quality remains "unusually sensitive" and it advised people to consider "reducing prolonged or heavy exertion."

"Take it easy if symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath occur," SAFAR said. Meanwhile, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI reported in Mumbai on Sunday at 4:00 PM was 179.

The air quality worsened in Delhi on Monday morning and a thick blanket of smog engulfed several parts. The air quality level plunged to 'severe plus' levels. According to the CPCB, the Air Quality Index recorded at 7 am was 483 in the national capital. A toxic foam was seen floating on the Yamuna River in Kalindi Kunj, as residents complained of difficulty in breathing and irritation in the eyes.

09:38 PM says: 'Deeply touched warm welcome in Rio'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora upon his arrival in Rio de Janeiro for the 19th G20 Leaders' Summit. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "Deeply touched by the warm and lively welcome from the Indian community upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro. Their energy reflects the affection that binds us across continents."

PM Modi was greeted at his hotel with a vibrant dandiya ceremony performed by dancers dressed in traditional Gujarati attire, celebrating his arrival with cultural fervour.

Adding a spiritual touch to the occasion, Vedic scholars chanted Vedic mantras to welcome the Prime Minister. Members of the diaspora also presented him with gifts as a gesture of respect and admiration.

The Indian Prime Minister landed in Brazil after completing the first leg of his three-nation tour in Nigeria. In Rio de Janeiro, he was received by Indian officials, including Indian Ambassador to Brazil Suresh Reddy. -- ANI

Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh during his recent concert in Ahmedabad in Gujarat has humorously responded to the Telangana government's notice instructing him to not perform songs promoting alcohol, drugs, and violence during his concert.

At his Gujarat show, he said, "Declare a dry day wherever my shows are, and I'll refrain from alcohol-related songs. It's easy for me to tweak my lyrics."

During his recent performance, the Punjabi singer reacted to the Telangana government notice and said, "Jitni bhi states hai agar vo saari apne ko dry states ghoshit kar deti hai. Agle hi din Diljit Dosanjh sharaab pe gaana nahi gaayega..mai pran karta hu. (If all the states declare themselves as dry states, the very next day Diljit Dosanjh will not sing a song about alcohol. I vow to do this)", he said.

"Acha ek aur mauka du. Isse bhi acha offer du ek aur. Jahan jahan mere shows hai vahan vahan aap ek din ke liye dry day ghoshit kar do mai sharaab ka gana nahi gaaunga. Mere liye ganao ko tweak karna is very easy for me," the singer said during his concert in Gujarat. (Okay, let me give you another chance. I'll make you an even better offer. Wherever my shows are, you declare a dry day for just one day, and I won't sing a song about alcohol. For me, tweaking songs is very easy)."

The notice, issued just hours before his performance on Friday, cited a complaint from a Chandigarh resident who claimed that Dosanjh had performed songs promoting alcohol and violence at a previous concert in New Delhi.

During his concert in Ahmedabad, Diljit refrained from alcohol-themed songs in compliance with Gujarat's dry state rules, he would refrain from singing alcohol-related songs during the concert.

He said, "Ek khushkhabri hai aaj mujhe koi notice nahi aaya..isse badi khush khabri aur hai mai aaj bhi koi gana sharaab pe nahi gaunga..kyunki Gujarat dry state hai (I have good news, I didn't receive any notice today. There's even better news: today I still won't sing any song about alcohol, because Gujarat is a dry state)."

He also took a jibe at Bollywood celebs saying that while the industry features numerous songs about alcohol, only a few of his tracks refer to it. He also sang devotional songs in the past few days but people are just discussing his tracks like 'Patiala Peg'. -- ANI

S M Khan, a distinguished senior Indian Information Service officer who was the press secretary to former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, died at a private hospital on Sunday after a brief illness, according to his family.

READ: Remembering President Kalam, by SM Khan

He was 67. Khan is survived by his wife and three children.

He was a prominent figure in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), serving as the longest-serving information officer for the agency from 1989 to 2002.

Throughout his tenure, he became the face of the CBI, regularly addressing the media during high-profile cases, including the Bofors scandal, stock exchange scams and various white-collar crimes.

READ: Rediff.com's interview with SM Khan

Following his extensive service with the CBI, Khan was appointed as the press secretary to the late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, a role in which he further solidified his reputation in public communication.

After Kalam's term, Khan moved to a prestigious position as the director general of News at Doordarshan.

In addition to his notable career in public service, Khan authored a book titled People's President, which was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also held the position of vice president and trustee at the India Islamic and Cultural Centre, contributing to cultural dialogue and community development.

Khan's passing marks the end of an era for Indian public service and media relations, leaving behind a legacy of integrity and dedication to his work.

His burial and last rites will be performed in his hometown Khujra in Uttar Pradesh on Monday afternoon. -- PTI

NCP-SP supremo Sharad Pawar has cautioned his detractors that they should mess with anyone but him and appealed to voters to not just defeat those who rebelled under Ajit Pawar, but "defeat them big" in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

Addressing a rally at Madha in Solapur district on Sunday ahead of the November 20 state polls, Sharad Pawar recounted an episode of defection that led to him losing the post of leader of opposition in the assembly almost five decades ago and his resolve that led to the defeat of all those who had backstabbed him.

"In the elections of 1980, 58 persons won polls from our party and I became leader of opposition. I had gone abroad and when I came back I realised Chief Minister AR Antulay saheb had done some miracle and 52 of the 58 MLAs had switched sides. I lost the post of LoP," he said.

"I did nothing (at the time). I just started reaching out to people across the state and worked hard for three years. In the next elections, I fielded young candidates against all 52 MLAs who had left me. I am proud of the people of Maharashtra that all 52 who left me were defeated," he told the gathering.

The 83-year-old former Union minister emphasised his status as an undefeated politician since he became an MLA in 1967 at the age of 27 and said, "I have my own experiences."

"The people who betrayed should be shown their place. Don't just defeat them, defeat them big," the former state chief minister said.

When the NCP-SP chief said a message should be sent across that one can mess with anyone but and took a pause, the crowd roared back chanting his name.

The Nationalist Congress Party founded by Sharad Pawar split in July last year after his nephew Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led government.

Following a decision by the Election Commission, Ajit Pawar got the party name and 'clock' symbol, while the faction head by the octogenarian politician was named NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar with the 'man blowing tutari' as its symbol. -- PTI

08:34 Delhi wakes up to season's worst air quality

A thick layer of smog enveloped the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday morning as the air quality index (AQI) plummeted to the "severe-plus" category, forcing authorities to announce stricter pollution control measures.

The air quality index stood at 481 at 7 am this morning.

The Centre's air quality panel has announced stricter pollution control measures for the Delhi-NCR under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan, effective from 8 am on Monday, including a ban on truck entry and a temporary halt on construction at public projects.

Smog also affected visibility in the national capital which various airlines said could delay flight schedules.

Private carrier IndiGo on Sunday night said fog is affecting visibility in the national capital which could delay flight schedules, while Delhi airport operator DIAL has put in place low visibility procedures.

Delhi airport operator DIAL said low visibility procedures are in place at the airport.

"Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi airport. All flight operations are normal at present," Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said in a post on X.

Kangana's 'Emergency' to release on...

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